Children can fly under the "unaccompanied minor" label from the age of 5 years old and up. All airlines consider any child under the age of 12 who is flying without a parent or an adult to be an "unaccompanied minor," and many airlines put that label on children under 16 years of age. All unaccompanied minors must be checked in at the gate with personnel and are led to the plane and off by a staff member. The staff member must wait for the child's party to arrive for pickup and must check to ensure that the individual retrieving the child is the same individual that is stated on the unaccompanied minor form. An unaccompanied minor form is included when tickets are purchased online, and most airlines will ask the parent purchasing the ticket to fill out the form online. The form will ask for the child's name and age and will also require emergency contact information and the name of the individual who will be retrieving the child from the gate.
Children traveling without an adult who are under the age of 12 are often restricted to direct flights only. Most U.S airlines will not allow a child under 12 to make connections without an adult accompanying them. This basic requirement has to do with the potential for a child to miss a flight and the inability of the airline to ensure their safe passage from one plane to another during a connection. Even over the age of 12, children traveling without a parent are not permitted to fly late-night or overnight flights and are not permitted on flights where a change of airport is required for a connecting flight.
Some airlines will allow a sibling over the age of 12 to accompany a child who is considered too young to fly as an unaccompanied minor (usually under the age of 5); however, most reserve the right to void this option. Children over the age of 15 are generally allowed to accompany a child aged 2 and up on any flight that is direct, connection flights are still prohibited by most airlines; however it is best to check directly with the airline in question.
Accompanied minors (children flying with a parent or other adult) over the age of 2 must have a seat purchased for them at regular fare. Children under the age of 2 do not need a ticket unless the parent or traveler would like to buy one for the child. Many people choose to buy a ticket for a child under 2 so they can set up a car seat for safer travel. Children who do not have a ticket are expected to be held during the duration of the flight.
Regardless of your personal traveling status and your guardianship of the child, all children require a passport to travel abroad. A passport will be requested at the gate. You can get a child a passport at any post office as long as you are the legal guardian of the child.
